US shift must be watched: analysts

China has capability to 'strike back' when interests are under threat

Despite the United States claiming that its naval shift to the Asia-Pacific is not designed to contain China, Washington's strategy needs closer attention amid a tense maritime situation, analysts said.

The US will reposition its naval forces so that 60 percent of them will be in the Pacific by 2020, US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta told the 11th Asia Security Summit in Singapore on Saturday, giving the first details of a new US military strategy announced in January.